The sun had just set over the horizon as Cameron followed the dog through dusty alleyways. Where was it taking him? He followed it for what seemed like three blocks before it arrived in front of a house.
The dog barked, and the front door opened. But detective Cameron could never have prepared himself for the situation that he had put himself into.
The Arizona sun was harshly beating down in Tucson. Thankfully, the police station had conditioning. Every officer that got office duty in the summer was grateful. Squad cars may have had air conditioning, but that didn’t matter when they had to leave the safety of their patrol vehicles.
One man that was particularly happy about being at his desk that day was detective Cameron Davis. He was busy cross-referencing evidence from various crimes. Trying to figure out any commonality between them. But he wasn’t prepared for an unexpected visitor that day.
Cameron had worked in the Tuscon Police Department for ten years. He made his way through the ranks over the years, starting as a rookie cop. He put in his time and managed to work his way to police sergeant after five years.
While he worked the streets, he was a specialized K9 handler. He grew to love the German Shepherds while he cared for them and made sure they were in good shape for the tasks at hand. But he had no idea how valuable that skill would come in after being behind a desk.
After eight years on the police force, Cameron finally became a detective. He willingly traded in his more action-packed lifestyle as a sergeant for a more methodical role at the precinct.
As a detective, he spent a lot more time behind a desk, something he was especially grateful for whenever the Tuscon summer came rolling around. But then he was notified that a strange guest came walking through the doors.
One hot summer’s day, a dog randomly strolled into the station and sat on the precinct floor. Cameron would be lying if he said he wasn’t surprised, but then he thought of the same reason he was indoors.
Was it to get away from the Arizona heat? Surely a thick-coated dog would prefer air conditioning over being outside. But that didn’t explain everything.
The dog seemed to want to tell them something. He would jump up onto the desk with his front paws and stare at them. He’d sometimes bark and curl up into a furry ball on the ground.
He was definitely there for a reason. This is where Cameron’s experience as a K9 handler would come in handy. But he had no idea how unsettling the truth would end up being.
Cameron bent down and scratched the canine behind his ear. “What’s it, boy? Where’s your owner?” He looked around the front lobby and peered at the open glass door. He decided to start an investigation for the benefit of the dog.
He walked towards the door and poked his head outside. He looked left and right. The only cars in the parking lot were his and the other officers there. There also wasn’t anyone nearby healthy or injured. But he’d soon find a break in the case.
Cameron still had some work to do, so he went back to his desk. If the dog was there at the end of the day, he told himself he’d try to find his owner. He still had some evidence to look at, but thankfully, all of it took place in the precinct.
He studied some more documents and checked the clock every hour. By six PM, he was ready to check if the dog was still there. But he’d be surprised by what he’d see.
Cameron packed up all of his work and put it in his leather satchel. He’d always bring his work home with him in case he thought about any breaks in the case while he was lying in bed.
He put on his jacket and walked towards the front door, expecting to see the dog. But when he got to the door, the dog was nowhere to be seen.
Cameron walked to his car in the evening breeze. The sun was now setting, and thankfully, the heat had died down. He got to his car and put his satchel in the trunk before walking over to his driver’s side door.
But that’s when he saw the same dog from before staring up at him. He wagged his tail and walked down the road. That’s when Cameron decided to follow him on foot.
The sun had just set over the horizon as Cameron followed the dog through dusty alleyways. Where was it taking him? He followed it for what seemed like three blocks before it arrived in front of a house.
The dog barked, and the front door opened. But detective Cameron could never have prepared himself for the situation that he had put himself into.
Cameron watched as the man walked outside to investigate the barking dog. He noticed him and the dog standing outside of his house and did the unexpected. Cameron had a strange feeling about the situation.
He prepared himself for the worst, and his hand hovered over his gun. The man walked closer to him and squinted at the animal. But what he did next caught Cameron off guard.
The man stared at the dog silently for what felt like minutes before he finally broke down and cried. The man was sobbing on his knees right in front of a confused Cameron. The man eventually composed himself.
He stared at Cameron and said, “Thank you for bringing him to me. It means the world to me.” Cameron was still confused as ever, but then the man explained more.
The man invited Cameron in, and they sat in his kitchen. He explained that the dog wasn’t actually his but his brother’s, who had tragically passed away a month ago. He hadn’t seen his brother’s dog until now.
“He must have run away after he passed.” The man told him. He said that it made sense that he was in the station.
The man explained that it made sense for the dog to have gone to the precinct. He explained that his brother had a long rap sheet while he was alive. And would often be thrown into the drunk tank.
The dog must have thought he was there and gone to the station. Now he was at least reunited with a family member who would look after him in his owner’s place. In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.
